Skateboard parks have developed in cities and communities all across North America because of the publicity garnered by skaters like Tony Hawk. While skateboarding and skateboard parks have experienced surges and declines in interest and skaters, these facilities are now fueling a resurgence in vertical skating. Skateboard parks also give skaters a legally sanctioned place where they can pursue their passion and practice new moves.
History
Skateboard parks were constructed beginning in the 1970s, coinciding with a growth spurt in the numbers of skateboarders. As insurance premiums rose, some parks closed. Skateboarding experienced an upturn of interest in the 1990s, largely due to exposure provided by ESPN's coverage of the first Extreme Games in 1995. Once vertical or "vert" skateboarding became popular, communities and municipalities again began to build skateparks for their youth.
Significance
Skateboarding parks are popular enough that the phenomenon has stretched across the border into Canada. Vancouver, for example, has six skateboard parks as of 2010. Skateboard parks feature various kinds of structures, some geared for beginning skateboarders and others for advanced skateboarders. Some of the features include skate bowls, skate benches, street courses, grind rails, granite ledges, plaza-style obstacles, walls, curbs and ramps.
Benefits
At skateboard parks, the sport's fans, from older children to teens and young adults, have a safe place to go to have fun and practice new stunts. Because municipalities have built facilities expressly for skateboarders--ramps, bowls and pipes--the equipment has undergone changes as well. These changes have made skateboards safer and more technologically advanced, increasing safety for the sport's fans and participants.
Function
Skateboard parks give skateboarders a place to congregate and skate without breaking the law. For example, while skateboarders are not allowed in most communities to skate on handrails in public areas, they can do so legally at a skateboard park. Skateboarding has been seen as a "rebel" sport because some youths attempted to skate in areas where it was not allowed. Because of this, the sport went underground until cities and municipalities recognized its popularity. Parks and recreation agencies received the go-ahead to develop and build skateparks that would allow skateboarders to pursue their sport legally and safely.
Warning
While skateboarding is now a safer sport to pursue, it still carries dangers. Cities usually require skaters to wear safety equipment, such as knee and elbow pads, wrist guards and helmets, because of the risk of falls on hard concrete. The regulations are necessary to forestall lawsuits.
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